Daily Briefing: Greetings from the Doghouse
•Sen.McCain(R-Ariz.) is expected to win desired concessions on torture ban. [ NYT ]
•Some Democrats worry recent antiwar statements by Rep.Pelosi(D-Calif.) andHoward Deanwill backfire in midterm elections; GOP leaders rush to attack "wrong message to our troops." [ WP , LAT ]
•Christians are disappointed by non-religious White House "holiday" card; presidential pets are pictured on the front. [ WP ]
• Condoleezza Riceencounters a skeptical Europe. [ NYT ]
• Riceadmits mistaken detention of innocent German. [ WP , NYT ]
•Rep.DeLay(R-Texas) is unlikely to regain a leadership role, though a leadership election is not scheduled. [ WP , NYT ]
•Congress opens inquiry to determine if the administration downplayed prewar information that predicted chaos in occupied Iraq. [ WSJ ]
•House Republicans leave outBush's guest-worker program from immigration bill. [ LAT ]
•Hollywood rallies for People for the American Way and againstSamuel Alito. [ NYT ]
• Cheneydefends war, praises Sen.Lieberman(D-Conn.). [ NYT ]
•Democrats want to diversify the voter demographics of early primaries by seeking a "wider participation from a wider range of constituencies." [ LAT ]
•Antiwar demonstrators greetHillary Clintonin New York. [ NYT ]
•National Republicans backThomas Kean Jr.in New Jersey Senate race. [ NYT ]